Paradigm Initiative Launches ‘DRIBLE’ Board Game at UNILAG

By Emmanuel Oladipo

Digital literacy is rapidly declining among African youths, who seem to be losing interest in it. To make digital literacy more engaging and accessible, Paradigm Initiative officially launched its new board game, DRIBLE, at the University of Lagos today.  

The acronym DRIBLE stands for “Digital Rights and Inclusion Board Learning Experience.” It was unveiled before students and guests at the University of Lagos Design Studio within the Faculty of Social Sciences.  

The DRIBLE board game is part of the organization’s broader strategy to reach 10 million young people across the Global South over the next five years.  

The Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, Mr. Gbenga Sesan, explained that the board game was designed as a fun, gamified alternative to traditional learning methods focused on digital rights, access, and online inclusion.  

“We want to reach a wide audience regarding knowledge of digital rights and inclusion, but many find traditional learning uninspiring and, therefore, lose interest. We created this gamified experience so that young people across Nigeria, Africa, and the Global South can learn about digital rights and inclusion while having fun,” he said.  

Mr. Sesan noted that the launch at UNILAG was significant not only because it’s near Paradigm Initiative’s headquarters in Yaba, but also because students from the university had previously participated in testing an earlier version of the game.  

After the launch in Lagos, the DRIBLE team will continue its rollout in Dakar, Senegal, and Nairobi, Kenya, gathering more feedback ahead of the game’s final production and international release.  

Dr. Suraj Olunifesi, a communication expert and digital literacy advocate who attended the event, emphasized the importance of integrating such tools into educational systems.  

“We’re trying to make education fun again. This game teaches a great deal about digital inclusion and opens people’s eyes to real-life scenarios that are not typically covered in the classroom,” he said, adding that government support is essential for sustaining initiatives like DRIBLE. He urged educational stakeholders and ministries to provide access and endorsement to help scale such innovations nationwide.  

Dr. Suraj added, “This aligns perfectly with what I advocate for with UNESCO, which is Media, Information, and Digital Literacy. People need access to media and digital training so they can be active participants.”  

Oluwalonimi, a student who attended the event, expressed her satisfaction with the game experience, saying, “I got to learn things from different perspectives. It was very enlightening.”  

More than just a game, DRIBLE is designed to simulate real-life scenarios addressing issues of digital rights, inclusion, and literacy.